Bourtreehill Medical Practice :: Services and Data Protection

Services and Data Protection

This section gives:

A list of GP and associated services provided at Bourtreehill Health Centre.
Guidance on Data Protection and Confidentiality

SERVICES LIST

ESSENTIAL OR “CORE” SERVICES

These services are the heart of the GPs’ contract with NHS Ayrshire and Arran. All practices provide these services in core hours to their registered patients and persons accepted as temporary residents. They are available by contacting the practice in the normal way and are:

Management of those persons ill with conditions from which recovery is generally expected.
Management of those terminally ill.
Management of those suffering from chronic disease.
Provision of advice in relation to health, including health promotion.
Referral of patients for other services.
The immediately necessary treatment for a patient to whom the GPs have been requested to provide owing to an accident or emergency in the practice area.
Primary Medical Services for a limited period to those not registered elsewhere in the area or is in the area for less than 24 hours.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES (FURTHER DETAILS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST)

These services are those that the GPs’ have agreed to provide over and above the basic level of care in essential services. They are:

Cervical Screening.
Contraceptive Services (including Emergency Contraception (The “Morning After Pill”))
Vaccinations and Immunisations.
Childhood Vaccinations and Immunisations.
Child Health Surveillance Services.
Maternity Medical Services (please ask if you would like a detailed additional leaflet)
Non-Invasive Minor Surgery.

ENHANCED SERVICES (FURTHER DETAILS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST)

The practice also performs the following services as agreed with NHS Ayrshire and Arran:

Childhood Immunisations and Pre-School Boosters.
Services including Influenza Immunisations for carers.
Influenza Immunisations (Flu Jabs) for patients aged 65 and over and at risk.
Pneumococcal Immunisations for patients aged 65 and over and at risk.
Measles/Mumps/Rubella “Catchup Campaign”, and Hepatitis B “at risk” immunisations.
Minor Surgery (Joint Injections and Invasive Procedures) and Minor Injury Service.
IUCD Coil Fittings and Reviews.
Cardio-Vascular disease monitoring.
Anti-Coagulation Monitoring (Patients on Warfarin).
Monitoring of Second Line Disease Modifying Drugs (e.g. for Rheumatoid Arthritis).
Enhanced Medical Services for Residents of Care Homes.
Register and review of patients with learning disabilities.
Breath testing for Helicobacter Pylori infection.
Monitoring of cancer referrals, repeat prescribing and access within 48 hours.
Long Term Condition Management for patients with Lung Disease.
Additional registers and management of patients with Diabetes.
Patient Care Quality Improvement “Better Working” and Referrals Management.
Register and additional management of patients with Osteoporosis.
Particular management of patients requiring Palliative Care.
GP with Special Interest service for Dermatology.

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DATA, CONFIDENTIALITY AND YOUR INFORMATION

These are the arrangements for the protection of your privacy, what your data is held for and your access to it.

General Information

The GPs are registered as Data Controllers with the UK Information Commissioner for the purposes of appropriate data handling of your medical records under the Data Protection Act 1998. Everyday matters regarding data, confidentiality and information release are handled by the Practice Manager, who is the “Caldicott” guardian.

Information about you with regard to current GP matters in particular is normally only held within the practice on computer or paper record. All GP staff, NHS staff or other persons using your record in pursuance of their duties are guided and bound by strict rules of confidentiality; for GP staff this applies within their terms of employment. Certain services provided by the practice attract payments requiring claims and verification, and NHS staffs routinely check these. We also handle data in accordance with the Data Protection Act for care, treatment, audit, research and teaching, and for release when required by law. Your records may also be disclosed to people outside the primary care team that provides your care, with the express purpose of checking practice compliance with educational standards for trainee doctors.

What if I Object to Disclosure for these “Inspection” Purposes

You may object at any time to inspection of any part or all of your medical records by inspectors outside the primary care team. Your objection will be totally respected.

How Safe is My Information?

In addition to the staff procedures, there are physical safeguards of paper records with sophisticated fire and intruder detection arrangements, and close attention is paid to minute-by-minute security in the surgery. Computers are protected by passwords. Full computer backup of your records is conducted every night, and disaster recovery protocols are in place in the event of a major system problem, using fireproof storage. Back ups are checked monthly to ensure they are valid and correct, and all computers are health checked monthly and protected by the most sophisticated anti-virus software available. By far the majority of your information at Bourtreehill will be held on one of two central practice computers.

Can I See My Medical Records – or Those of Others?

For your own record - Yes, this is permitted by the Data Protection Act – asking the doctor informally is entirely appropriate, and doctor will help make a decision about whether this can be done without going through a more formal process. We will record your request in your notes, and for more complex requests for particular information there will probably be a charge. There are circumstances where we can allow access to the records of others (your children under 16 for instance), but individual cases have particular aspects of consent and we will advise on these.

What if I Think My Records are Wrong?

You have the right to request that incorrect information in your record be corrected. We would seek to agree the changes with you informally, including how the correction will be made, but if this is not possible we can advise you on your options to take the matter up with us so that a formal response can be given to you.

Freedom of Information – What are my rights?

You now have the right to request information about most aspects of the practice. If we hold such information, and have no reason to withhold it, we will provide it. Details are in our publication scheme, website details for this can be provided on request. There may be charges involved for the provision of certain information.